Apparatus for recording the distances traveled by conveyances



July 28, 1931. F. roEwE 1,816,751

APPARATUS Fon REconnNG THE DIsTANcEs TRAVELED BY coNvEYANoEs Filed April 1. 1930 5 Sheds-Sheet l July28, 1931. F. TQEWE 1,816,751

APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE DISTANCES TRAVELED BY CONVEYANCES Filed April 1. 1930 5 Sheets-ShamI 2 mrm :26 15@ July 28, 1931. 1,816,751

APPARATUS Fox REconDING THE DIsTANcEs TRAVELED BY coNvEYANcEs F. TO EWE Filed April 1, 1930 5Sheets-Sheet 5 July 28, 1931. F, TQEWE 1,816,751

APPARATUS Fon RECORDING THE DISTANcEs TRAVELED BY coNvEYANcEs Filed April 1, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 zz/9. y

. ornelgfd/ July 28, 1931. F. ToEwE 1,816,751

APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE DISTANCES TRAVELED BY CONVEYANCES Filed April 1, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 NrflZOO Jhvenory 5 f? /TZ o E-WE- Patented July 28, 1931 FRITZ ToEvvE, or V'ILLI'NGN, GERMANY, AssIGNoR To KInNzLE' UHRNFABRIKEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, or SCHWENNINGNGERMAN'Y, A ccfiRiioRA Trim or GER- MANY, KAR-I.` WILHELM LANGE, or

BERLIN-WILMESDOR, GERMANY', AND

DEUTSCHER vERsicHERUNGsvERKEHR or BERLIN-DAHIQE'M', GERMANY, A

CORPORATION oF GERMANY APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE InIsTeNCE's'A TRAVELED BY coNvEYANCEs Application ined April' 1', i920', suini' No. 440169?, and in Germany November 2o, ists.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for recording the distances traveled by cem'eyances, and more particularly in apparatus inwliich cards are stamped iny `accordance with the mileage traveled and thus later serve as evidence that the conveyance has at no time traveled' without a valid card' in the device'. The object of the improvements is to provide an apparatus of this class? which is simple in construction and reliable' in operation, and which correctly records the length of way traveled by the conveyance. Another obj ect oi the improvements is to provide an apparatus in which after printing the initial' mileage reading the card cannot be removed from the outside.V lVith these objects in view my invention consists' in constructing the apparatus so that the cards pushed into the same are held therein by holding device so that they cannot be re movedl until both' the. initial andI tina-l milcage readings have ben effected.

For the purpose of explaining the inven` tion an example embodying the same has been .shown in the accompanying drawings, in'

which the same letters of reference have been used in all the views toy indicate correspond` ing parts. In said drawings,

Fig. l is a Yiront elevation of the; apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on' the line 24-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the apparatus with the lid removed,

c Fig. 4 is a sectionalelevation taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the apparatus with a part of the casing removed,

Figs. 8 and 9 are detail sectional elevations showing the card holding device. preventing the card to be removed by non-authorized persons, the said figures showing the apparatus in different positions,

Figs. 10 andy 11 are detail sectional elevations showing the card feeding device in dit- 'lerent positions,

Figs. 12 and 13 are detail sectional eleva'- tions` showing the'r limit counter in different positions, f

F ig.y 14 is a diagramv illustrating the succession of thev operations of the apparatus,

Fig. l15 is an elevation showing a` card having the different readings printed thereon.

In the example shown in the figures the apparatus comprises a casing 1 provided with a tubular foot la adapted'to' be fixed to a s*- suitable part o'a vehicle such as a motor vehicle. VVithi'n the casing' 1 there is a counter 2 showing the mileage traversed by the vchici at any moment, anda limit counter 3f showing to what limit the card inserted f1.2'

into' the apparatus is valid. The counter 2 is always inf operation while the vehicle is driving.

T he front wall of the casing 1 is provided with a window 4 throughr which a part of the card is visible on which the length of way traveled by the vehicle is printed. Thus the window shows whether or not a card 5 is within the casing 1, which corresponds to the size of the vehicle' and4 tot the rate of the tax or insurance to be paid' therefor.|

On plates l0 lixed to the rear wall of the casing 1 a rock shaft 7 is mounted by means of which the holding, feeding and printingl devices to be described hereinafterV are operated, and which is formed with a triangular endl 7a adaptedA to have a key placed thcreon for rocking the saine, the said key being adapted to be inserted througha tubular stud 6 projecting fronr the side wall of the casing. si#

a needle 11 mounted' by means of a pivot bolt 3'- 11a on aE pairof levers 12 and formed with: a' lligilil'b. The levers 12 are rockingly mounted by means of a pivot bolt 12a on a pair of bracketslBa secured to a" card holding frame 18. To one of the levers 12 aspring 13 is "l" attached which is connected with its opposite end to a pin 13a lifted to the plate 1c, the said spring holding the lug 11b of the needle 11 in contact with the cam 8.

The cam 9 is provided for operating the priming mechanism, and it is engaged by a roller llo carried by the top ends oi" a pair oi levers 1l (Figs. 5 and 6) rockingly mounted by means ot a pivot bolt 14o on the plates 1c. Near its bottom end the levers 1l carry a pin 140 by means of which they are jointed to a U-shaped printing slide 15 formed with a slot 15a slidingly engaged by pins 15b secured to the plates 1c. By means ot a screw 15C a platen 15d is secured to the slide 15, the said platen being adapted when rocking the slide 15 to press the card 5 onto type wheels 15e o' a mileage counter 1G and a plate 1i secured to the plates 1c and having the number ot the vehicle engraved or cast thereon. To pins 15e ot the arms of the .slide 15 springs 15;F are connected which are attached with their opposite ends to pins 15g oi the plates 1c, the said springs tending to pull the slide 15 forwardly and to hold the roller lle in engagement with the cam' 9.

The cams 1() are formed with two arms, and they are adapted to operate the card vfeeding device. The said feeding device is connected with the aforesaid card holding trame 18, which frame is vertically shirtVA able in a guiding trame At its bottom end the said trame is bent angularly so as to provide a shoulder 18d supporting the card 5. At its middle the card holding' :trame 1S is provided with a cut-out portion 18e (Fig. 3).

The guiding trame 33 is provided with ears 33a secured by screws to the plates 1c. The card holding trame 1S is provided with ears 1S?) carrying pins 18e adapted lo be engaged by the arms 10a and 10?) of the cani 10, the arms 10a engaging the said pins trom the bottom side thereoi for lifting the card holding trame 18 and the card 5 carried thereby, and the arms 107) engraving the said pins for shitting the card holding trame 1S and the card 5 carried thereby downwardly.

The limit counter 3 is mounted on a plate Se secured to an inclined base 5b secured to the casing 1. yl`he said counter is operated from the card feeding mechanism, as will now be described.

To the plate 1c located at the right in Fig. .7 a plate 1d is fixed which is perpendicular thereto, and which has a slide 19 vertically shiitable thereon. The flange 19a ot the said slide is formed with vertical slots 19?) engaged by pins 190 lined to the plate 1d. For clcarness salte the tlange 19a provided with the slots 192) is shown in Figs. 12 and 1B in section, while the other flange 19d is shown in elevation.

To a pin 22a iixed to the ilange 19a of the slide 19 a sprinfr is connected which is attached with its opposite end to a pin 22h secured to the plate 1d. The flange 19d projects upwardly beyond the flange 19a. and a pin 20 fixed thereto is engaged by the bit'urcated end Q10'. ot a lever Q1 clamped by 1n unis of a screw Q15 to the axis 3c ol the counter Il.

lllhen moving the card holding 'frame '1S with a card 5 arried thereby trom the po'- sition shown in Fig. 12 downwardly aud into the position shown in Fig. 13 the lower margin ot' the said card which is disengaged by reason ot' the cut-out portion 18e of the card holding traine 1S engages the slide 19 and shifts the saine downwardly while puttin g the spring 2Q under tension. Thereby the lever Q1 is roel-:ed in clockwise direction thus advancing the limit counter El one step. 'lor cx ample from the position shown in Fig. 1 and. displaying the figure 500 to the igure 501.. lVhen moving the card holding iramc 1S and the card 5 upwardly the spring Q2 retracts the slide 19 into the position shownin Fig. 1Q. The limit counter 3 is not operated by the rcturn movement of the lever 9.1, as is known in the art.

rlfhe mileage counter 2 is mounted on a plate 2a. secured to an inclined base Q?) located within the casing 1 (Fi 3 and To the shaft Qc of 'the counter 2 au operating lever 23 is clamped by means ot a screw 23?; the construction and operation ol" which is similar to that ot the operating lever 2l of the limit counter shown in Fig. 1Q. lVhen roel;- ing the lever 23 in clockwise direction the counter Q is advanced in the manner known in the art.y and when rocking the lever Q3 in anti-clockwise direction the counter Q is not operated. The lever Q3 is provided with a biturcated end 23a embracing a pin 25a lixel to the downwardly directed arm ot' a lever Q5.

rl`he lever is fixe-.l to a sha'lt 257) rotatably mounted in the plates 1c. The upwardly directed arm ot the lever carries a pin 25e having a pawl 25J mounted thereon, which pawl engages in a ratchet wheel 162'; coiniected with the units type wheel oi the set ol type wheels 16a. ot' the counter 1G.

On a shaft 26 mounted in the plates `1 c a cam 26d mounted, which cam engages a pin 25e fixed to the downwardly directed arm oi the lever 25. To the pin 25a a spring is connected which is attached with its opposite end to a pin 25g ot' the casing, the said spring' holding the pin Q5@ in engagement with the cani 26a. lVnen upon rotation ot the shaft 26 in clockwise dirccticn the pin is released from the cam ot the disk 25a, the spring 257' rocks the lever 25 in l.iuti-clockv. se direction. Thereby the mileage counter 2 advanced one step through the intermediary of the lever 3. Simultaneously the counter 1G equipped with printing types is advanced one step by means ot' the pawl 25.1.7.

The shaft 2G is rotated by means if a worin gearing QT secured thereto and engaged by a worm 28a carried by the shaft 28 (Figs. 4 an d 5). The shaft 28 is'driven by the shaft 29,V and the shaft 29 is rotated from a rotary part of the vehicle byv means of a flexible shaft (not shown). For recording the length of way of the backward movement of the vehicle a gearing 31, 32 is provided between the shafts 28 and 29 for reversing the said backward movement into forward movement. Mechanism of this type is known in the art and I have shown only parts thereof in Fig. 4.

The card i-s inserted into the casing 1 throughV a slot 30' shown in Fig. 2. In the front wall of thev casing' l there are windows 3, 4 through which the figures displayed by the counters 2 and 3 may be inspected.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows The card 5 is inserted through the opening 30 of the casing I and it slides downwardly within the card holding frame 18 until. it engages the shoulder 18d provided at the bottom end thereof. Alfteropeni'ng the lidia a keyy is passed intovr the casing through the bore of the tubular stud G and placed on the triangular end 7a of the shaft 7. The said shaft is slowly rotated by means of the said' key in the direction of' the arrow shown in Fig. 8. At first the cam 8 engages the lng 11b thus forcing the needle 11 into the card Thereafter the can-11 9' acti-ng on the roller 14a shifts the printing frame 15 through the intermediary of the lever 14, so that the initial' reading of the coun-ter 16, for example the number 43760', isl printed on the card.

5 which for the present is still in the elevated position shown in Fig. 8. After printing the initial state of the counter the card' holding frame 18 and the card 5 carried thereby are shifted: downwardly into the lowerm'ost position shown in Fig. 11 by meansl of the arm 10b acting on the top side of the pin 118e (Fig.

10). When moving downwardly into the lowermost posit-ion thel card 5 engages the slide 1'9 and shiftsv thev sar-ne into the position shown i-n Fig.r 13, so that the limitcounter 3 is advanced one step in the manner described above. The earrdV remains in its lowermost positionV shown in Figs. 11' and 13 until'f the length of' way corresponding to the said cardI has been travelled by the conveyance. Also theL other parts of the apparatus with exception ofthe mileage counters 2 and 116 remain ini their positions during this period of time. f

After the card 5 hasv been moved into its lowermost position the key is removed from the triangular end 7 a of the shaft 7, andZ thek lidi 6a is closed andfsealed by lead' 6d.

After the length of Waiyprescribed by the Cardi 5,for example' 1000 kilometers, has been traveled by the vehicle'the lead' Gd'isremoved,

the lid'y 6a is opened? and' the keyl is againA placed? on the triangular end 7a of theV shaft 7. Now the shaft 7 is turned` in the direction ofthe arrow shown in Fig.. 9- and into initial position, and byy such rotation of the shaft 7 at first the printing frame 15 is oper'- ated by the cam 9 and the filial reading, say 44760 kilometers, of the mileage counter 2 is printed on the card 5. In addition to the said reading" ofthe mileage counter the num'- ber ofthe vehicle, say 1200, is printed on the card 5, the card 5 having been moved down- Wardly by the first rotation of the' shaft 7 so far that it is in position for being acted upon by the types of the plate 17 5). Now the numbers shown in 15' have been printed on ther card 5. After printing the final reading of the mileage counter and the number of the vehicle the card 5 is released upon further rotatioi'i of the shaft 7 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 9 by the cam 8 releasing the lug 11?), so that the needle 11 is retracted by the spring 13 into the' initial position shown in Fig. 8 and out of the card 5. At the end of the return movement of the shaft 7 the cam 10a' acts on the pin 180 of the card holding frame' 18 from the bottom side thereof.v rIherefore the said card holding frame and the card 5 are shifted upwardly and into initial position. Therefore the card? can be taken and' retracted' from the apparatus throughthe slot 30. Thus the circuit of the operations is completed", the printed card? has been taken from the' apparatus, and the apparatus ready for receiving a new card?.`

- As` appears from the foregoingv descrip'- tionfof' thev operation, after printing the initial reading of the mileage counter the card 5E isv locked against being removed from the' guide 18 by the needle 11, and it can be removed from the apparatus only when it has been released by the needle 1'1 and after printing thereon-the finalk reading of the mileage counter.y

In Fig. 14 I have shown a diagram illustrating the operation of the apparatus. The circuit of.'theoperationsfbegins at A and it is continued in the same direction to the point B, wherei'qion the direction is reversed to the end C ofthe operations. At A the card 5 is inserted?, and the needle 1l is pushed througlr the same by turning the shaft 7 th-rougli an angle corresponding to the arc a. Now they card is locked within the apparatus. By further rotating the rshaft 7 through an angle corresponding to the arc the initial mileage is printed on the card, and by further turning the shaft through an angle corresponding to the arc c theI card is shifted into the lowermost position. By the first part of the return movement of the' key through ani arc d thefinal mileage is printed, thereafter by turning. the shaft through the are e..the needle 111 is retracted and the card unlocked, vand when turning the shaft through the'arc' f thel cardis shifted into initial position. After `the shaft has been returned into the position represented by et the ta);

the letter' C the card is taken from the apparatus.

The apparatus described herein may be used 'for example for controlling the paying or the insurance ot' the vehicle or 'the like equipped with the apparatus, and in this case l ma)v use cards 5 ot' ditlerent appearance accordinscr to the size of the vehicle, iior example l mayv use cards of dilierent colors.

It' the apparatus is used tor controllingl the paying ot' the tax 'for the vehicle, and an authorized oiiicer removes the seal 6d for replacing the card 5 and turningthe shaft T, the needle ll prevents the card from being removed by the owner ot' the vehicle during the period controlled by the card. Therefore, in case ot unexpected control of the vehicle the authorized oiiicer can always ascertain if "ihe tax has been paid on the vehicle and what amount has been paid.

ln a similar way, if the apparatus is used for controlling the paying of the insurance of the vehicle, and the owner is authorized to replace the card 5 with another one, the needle ll prevents the card from beingr removed during' the period ot the insurance bv non-authorized persons.

The needle may be made with different cross-sections showing that card has been used in the apparatus, and tor the same purpose the needle ll may be provided with type printing certain signs on the card when piercing?Y the same by means of the needle.

has been explained above, the limit counter 3 advanced one step when shifting,r the card 5 into the position tor printing therefi-n the linal mileage. Thus the said counter counts the cards inserted into the apparatus. F'linniltaneously the counter 3 indicates the limit at which a card 5 inserted into the apparatus loses its value, each number of the counter 3 corresponding to a definite limit of l tai: or insurance. For example, it the 'paving o'tl the ta a: or the insurance begins with the indication ot the counter Q shown in Fig'. l and displaying the number 43760, the number 501 displaved by the counter 3 corre- .f ands to a tax or insurance period of 1000 z lometers for the, limitof H760 kilometers.

the number 502 corresponds to the limit of 454- kilometers, etc.

lt' it is desired to read the tax or insurance limit directlv from the counter 3, both count- 2 and 3 are set in a similar way at the inni e' ot the tax or insurance period. counters are set bv known means after opening the casing. For example, it maj.'Y be assumed that the iaiperiod comprises 1000 kilometers. Now the numeral disk of the lnvermost order of the counter 3 indicates the thousands as units. 1n both counters Q and 3 at the beginning;` of the tax period all the numeral disks are reset. It now the first card inserted into the apparatus, the counter 3 is set on the ligure l, and the owner of the vehicle knows that the counter 2 maj,v be operated while the vehicle is driven from t) to 100() kilometers betore a new card 5 must be inserted in lieu oi the old one. The counter 3 is advanced b v the new card to the number 2, so that the counter 2 ma)Y now be operated to the mileage 2000, betere a new card is insorted.

I claim:

l. A registering mechanism for recording upon a card or series ot cards the distance traversed b'v a vehicle covered b v impost or insurance taxes or the like, comprising,l a casing, an odometer mechanism in said casingr adapted to be dri"en 'from the vehicle, printingr mechanism associated with said odometer n'iechanisn'i and adapted to print the initial and final odometer readings upon a card inserted into the registering mechanism, a controlling; member outside said casing operable at the beginningr and at the end ot the taxpaid distance 4to actuate said printing mechanism` said printing mechanism being: so :lisp-osed witl said casing' that the card is held completel;v within the casing during the interval between the initial and final printing. means tor retaining said card within said Vring' mechanism, said means comprising a card holder provided with liXed means to limit downward movenient of the card within the ard holder, and an element movable agl'ainst one 'tace ot the card to engage the same for preventing,r the removal ot the card from said holder, and means operable after the final odometer reading has been printed on said card to render said engaging element inoperative.

2. registering mechanism for recording upon a card or series of cards the distance traversed by'a vehicle covered by impost or insurance tartes or the like, comprising,r a casing, an odometer mechanism in said casingT adapted to be driven trom the vehicle. printing mechanism associated with said odometer mechanism and adapted to print the initial and final odometer readings upon a card inserted into the registering mechanism, a controlling' member outside said casing operable at the beginning and at the end ot the taxpaid distance to actuate said printing mechanism, said printing mechanism beingY so disposed within said casing that the card is held completely within the casing during' the intel'- val between the initial and linal printing, means for retaining said card within said refiisteria;T mechanism, said means comprising;- a slidable card holder provided with lixed means to limit downward movement o'fi the card within the card holder, and a cam actuated projecting element pivoted to move against one tace of the card to engage the same for preventiiu; the removal ot' the card from the holder, and cam operated means operable after the final odometer reading has been printed on said card to render said engaging element inoperative.

3. A registering mechanism for recording upon a. card or series'of cards the distance traversed by a vehicle covered by impost or insurance taxes or the like, comprising a casing, an odometer mechanism in said car;- ing adapted to be driven from the vehicle, a control member, means for retaining a card Within said casing, said means comprising a slidable card holder and an element movabl against one face of the card upon initial actuation of the control member for preventing the removal of the card from said holder, printing mechanism associated With said odometer mechanism and operable upon further actuation of the congrol mechanism to print the initial odometer reading upon the card, means operable upon further actuation of the con rol member for sliding said card holder with the card inserted therein, the engaging element following' said sliding Inovement to prevent removal of the card, means operable upon further actuation of said control member for printing the final odometer reading upon the card, and means operable after the linal odometer reading has been printed on the card to render said engaging element inoperative.

4. An apparatus for recording' the distance traveled by a vehicle, comprising a slidable record card holder, a key operable member, a pin, means for thrusting said pin into a record card held in said card holder upon ope ation of said key operable member in one direction, printing numbers driven in relation to the distance traveled by the vehicle, means vactuated by further operation in aforesaid direction of said key operable member 'for printing the initial mileage on said card, means for shifting said card holder together with said pin to place said card in inoperative and locked position during operation of the vehicle, means actuated by movement of said key operable member in reverse direction for printing the final mileage on the card, and means operable after the nal mileage is printed for releasing said card and returning it to the initial position.

5. An apparatus for recording the distance traveled by a vehicle, comprising a slidable record card holder, a key operable member, a. pin, means for thrusting said pin into a record card held in said card holder upon operation of said key operable member in one direction, printing numbers driven in relation to the distance traveled by the vehicle, means actuated by further operation in aforesaid direction of said key operable member for printing the initial mileage on said card, means actuated by further operation in aforesaid direction of said key operablemember for shifting said card holder, card, and pin, While the card remains locked by said pin, means actuated by movement of said key operable member in reverse direction for printing the filial mileage on the card, and means operable after the final mileage is printed for releasing said card and returning it to the initial position.

6. A registering mechanism for recording upon a card or series of cards the distance traversed by a vehicle covered by impost or insurance taxes or the like, comprising a casing, an odometer mechanism in said casing adapted to be driven from the vehicle, printing mechanism associated With said odometer mechanism and adapted to print the inixial and final odometer readings upon a card inserted into the registering mechanism, a controlling member outside said casing operable at the beginning and at the end el' the tax-paid distance to actuate said printing mechanism, said printing mechanism being so disposed Within said casing that the card is held completely Within the casing during the interval between the initial and final printing, means for retaining said card Within said registering mechanism, said means comprising a slidable card holder provided with fixed means to limit downward movement of the card Within the card holder, a shaft, a cam mounted on said shaft, a pivot member, the free end of said member bearing against said cam, a pin carried by said pivot member and adapted to project through one face of the card upon turning of the shalt. for preventing the removal of the card from the holder', and cam operatedy means operable after the final odometer reading' has been printed on the card to render said means lor preventing the removal of the card inoperative.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto atlif; my

signature.

FRITZ TOEWv 

